My Beloved Corpse
by Je Suis Le Fantome
Summary: Erik has been long dead, or was he! He woke up from a deep sleep to find that Christine is dead and her body was never found. He embarks on a quest to search the body of his lover so he could keep her corpse as treasure. It wouldn't be easy, especially if her body keeps disappearing mysteriously. E/C, R/C. Leroux Erik with elements of ALW and Kay!


MY BELOVED CORPSE

(THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA FAN FICTION)

 **Author's note: Hi everybody! This is my first Phantom of The Opera fan fiction and I am new to the fandom. I am just so excited to be writing this and sharing it online. This version is basically a fusion of Leroux and Kay with elements of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical. I hope you will enjoy reading it.**

 **CHAPTER 1: A WORD CALLED PROMISE**

 **Her heartbeat had risen and he could hear it.**

He smiled.

It sounded like fear. The beating organ that was meant to promise him love thundered rapidly in her fear. Her fear which would guarantee her defeat, her defeat that would provide him triumph. There was nobody else to hear her screams and cries. Even the hero that came to her rescue needed _her_ rescuing. For the first time, the damsel needed to play the part of the hero. She had to be strong, quick and most importantly, make the right choices. This was no ordinary game but a game of life and love, between The Phantom (Erik) and The Haunted (Christine). The rules were simple and she was the only player who had to choose between two knobs, that looked like a scorpion and a grasshopper. If she turns the grasshopper (which means refusing Erik's proposal), the gunpowder in the entire opera house will light up and cause an explosion that will ultimately kill everybody, including Erik and herself. On the other hand, the scorpion would save her Raoul but she would have to marry Erik in return.

As they stood still for a long time, the room became eerily quiet. There was not even a single rat entering the room, nor a cockroach. Perhaps nothing in this world would dare interrupt this game. The now helpless Raoul could only watch in horror as his fiancée was about to be taken away, or maybe get himself killed. The Persian prayed silently, hoping that Christine would save them from the monster. Their eyes continued to stare at each others' with Christine's innocent blue eyes turned cold and icy, trying to mask the fear within. Erik's Sulphur-yellow eyes remain staring through her very soul, like they always did. This time, he looked frightening than ever, with his face baring his awful deformities. His mad grin was twisting his corpse-like face, making it seem that Christine was facing Death itself, and Death will he _become_. If she refuses him.

"Well, Christine," Erik finally said while he folded his thin arms. "I have given you until this hour. I hope you have made a wise decision." The way how he spoke to her sounded like he was speaking to a child. Then again, Christine has always been a child at heart but she was forced to mature during this moment. She looked at Raoul, knowing that it was her last time she would be seeing him again. She had always trusted her genius but he can be unpredictable indeed. However, she had no choice but to trust him because he had _promised_ her.

 _Promise_ , Christine thought, then she looked back at Erik with her eyes burning with confidence.

She was ready to answer.

"Yes, I have," she replied. "And I hope you kept my promise." Losing her confidence, Christine's voice now choking with emotions while her hand hesitated to move towards her selection. Before Raoul could finish screaming, "CHRISTINE, N-!" it was already too late. Christine already turned the scorpion! Raoul sunk in defeat but shot back at himself as he felt the hard ground shaking all of a sudden. Next thing he could hear was the sound of water bursting from the pipes. It was flooding the underground tunnels and drowning the gunpowder. At first the sound of flowing water was soft but it began to grow louder and more violent.

The Persian's eyes widened with fear.

"NO!" he exclaimed. "VICOMTE, BRACE YOURSELF!" Without further thinking, the Persian leaped onto Raoul, who was standing directly below the pipe hole. He managed to saved him from the strong pressure of the sudden bursting water but did not prevent the torture chamber from flooding.

"You need to find a vault, or hole – just _anything_ ," Raoul told the Persian quickly. As fast as they could move, their speed is not enough to challenge the speed of the rising water. To make matters worse, the water made it difficult for them to move about and soon, they would be drowning to their deaths if their _hero_ does not take action.

"You _promised_ me!" This time, Christine's face of fear turned into rage. Tears of anger filled her eyes. "How could you?!"

"And so I have." Keeping his promise for her, Erik turned the scorpion back into its normal position. Christine looked at the torture chamber which was now completely filled with water. It has only been a few minutes until Raoul and the Persian were now struggling underwater and all of hope was pointless now. Raoul was losing his energy and his vision but at least he still had enough for Christine's sake. To let him see the woman that will be his wife, to let him reach his hand towards his childhood sweetheart. Christine did the same thing and placed her palm on the glass. Their hands were now both on each other. They were so close, yet so far, if only there was no barrier of glass that could separate their touch.

The barrier that will separate _life_ and _death_.

Knowing that his time will be coming soon, Raoul ended his breath of life with the name of his lover. "CHRISTINE!" he yelled with all his heart as he released bubbles of passion out of his mouth.

 _Clink!_

Raoul's head turned weakly to find the source of the sudden sound. Christine gasped in relief as the a cunningly camouflaged vault opened to drain the water out from the torture chamber (no wonder they couldn't find one!). Sooner or later, the glass barrier began to open and Christine rushed into the chamber to hug her lover whose expensive garments were heavily drenched. Raoul coughed out water from his lungs and gasped. He was not sure if it was air that he was gasping for or Christine's sudden embrace. He felt warm in Christine's arm after shivering slightly from the cold water.

"Raoul, I assure you are safe now," Christine whispered words of comfort at his ears.

"Christine, you saved us all, my wonderful heroine!" He placed his hands on her face, enjoying her warmth.

"Yes, I hope your wonderful heroine will cherish this moment dearly." At the thought of the Persian's reminder, Christine relinquished from her embrace and backed away from Raoul slowly. Oh yes, she was so lost in the moment that she forgot about her new soon-to-be-husband! Christine got up to her feet and slowly approached Erik whose back was facing them with a slightly slouched position. She stopped a few meters away from Erik, a safe distance just enough to call him. Will he storm in fury? Will he cry in pain? Christine was worried. He was an unpredictable person and she was scared of it but as the hero who proved her worth, she had to be…. _brave_. Christine inhaled a deep breath to calm herself down and clenched her fists.

"Erik!" she called him but he did not reply. There was not even a movement from him. He was _dead_ still and silent. _What other game does he want to play with her now?!_ Christine still carried on, nevertheless. This time, she moved nearer until she was standing right behind him. She extended her nervously-shaking arm and placed slowly placed her hand onto Erik's shoulder.

Nothing happened.

For a while, nothing happened and Christine did not want to call him. She patiently waited for Erik's reaction and did she get it when a cold sensation was felt on her fingers. She jolted back all of a sudden at the strangeness. The sensation turned into a smooth caress as it rested on the back of her hand. This time, it was Erik's turn to shudder at her touch. He has always been in the cold darkness, alone and empty and the feeling of warmth and tenderness was alien to him.

"Christine," Erik finally responded and his madly threatening voice softened into a melodic whisper.

"Yes, Erik?"

"Go with him." Christine was confused at his order. A few minutes ago, he was behaving like a maniac, forcing her to marry him and threatening to kill her former fiancé if she doesn't. Now he wants her to leave him?

"I-I-I do n-not u-u-u-understand….W-What made you change y-y-your m-m-mind all of a s-sudden?" She was tensed with shock. Erik gently grasped her hand which was on his shoulders and turned around to face her, still not letting go of it.

"Because….I _promised_ you…."

 _Promise_.

The word called _promise_ tasted bitter on his lips. Only a broken promise would be able to rip a heart of someone and it was vital that Erik would take care of her's but if only Christine could do the same for _him_. Promises may be unpleasant but the beauty of it would form trusts between people and strong relationships if the promise will remain. Which is why this is Erik's only choice to make Christine love him. The more he understands promises, the more he realizes his capability to love and the reason why promises are made. The promise is there for the greater good.

"When I saw you spending time with the Vicomte, I realised that you possess a kind of genuine happiness. I can give you everything that your heart desires but I cannot promise you that same happiness when you are with him." He was right, isn't he?

"Erik, do not speak such words! You gave me a great deal of happiness that even Raoul cannot provide me. You resurrected my ability to sing up to an extent that the whole of Paris desires for my voice." Christine protested.

"Yet, you did not want to marry me in exchange for vocal lessons!" Erik exclaimed in disagreement.

"I was afraid of you. How can you expect me to show you true love if you force it on me."

"Then why did you want to marry somebody whom you only met when you were a child?"

"I loved you Erik, I loved you in a way that I do not love Raoul. I loved you as a student! A love of a student to her teacher is different from a girl's to a boy's," Christine answered honestly.

"You are not a girl anymore, Christine! You are a woman now."

" Yes, I have always been a child at heart but I am learning to be a woman and I am also learning to be a wife, Erik."

"And I am also learning to be a husband," said Erik. "A good one." He then knelt on the floor and grabbed the hem of her wedding dress as if it was a handkerchief for him to weep.

"But I will never be. Not as long as you fear me. You were my great songbird, Christine but even a bird cannot sing without happiness and cannot soar without freedom. Oh, and I was your _angel,_ Christine but I was such a sinful angel! I only tried to keep you like a bird in a cage and murdered many men!"

"You were only trying to defend yourself." A surge of compassion started to form inside her.

"Defending myself from the barbaric nature that is mankind!" bellowed Erik. "Mankind has no mercy, no compassion, no love! Christine, do you not understand why I wanted you to marry me? You were patient, compassionate and above all you showed me pity. You willingly touched me for the first time. Nobody would ever want to touch me… let alone, go near this monster."

 _Something as simple as her touch was such a big blessing for him_. Of course!

"All I wanted was to prove that I am not a monster or a ghost but a man," he continued. "A man that loves you more than anything else in the world and I was hoping so much from you. I hoped that you would return me your love just as you _promised…_ " Erik broke down crying.

All he wanted in the world was love….

And she _promised_ him….

 _Who was the monster now?_

At the thought of this, Christine felt so ashamed for her foolish behavior and cried with Erik. Such a blessing it was for Erik when Christine decided to cry with him. She cannot help but pity a musical genius who had a great potential, if only his face was not disfigured. If only the world could understand him. If only the world cannot judge. Christine placed her warm, gentle hand on Erik's cold cheek. She touched him, _again_.

"Oh, Erik, my poor, unhappy Erik. Please…forgive me. Please take my compassion and my pity for you." Then she kissed him on his thin forehead which made Erik weep harder and grasped the hem of her dress more firmly.

"Christine….I am ready to die now. Thank you, so much for you have given me the greatest gift, a kiss. I never thought I deserved it for no woman would ever think of kissing me! Even my dead mother refused to and the only gift she gave me was a mask to hide my face."

"Erik…" at his words, Christine cried harder. "I am so sorry to hear such a thing."

"Do not cry anymore Christine for Erik has given you your freedom and a wedding gift for you." He opened the palm of her hand and placed a beautiful golden ring with a ruby gemstone. "This was meant for our marriage but you must promise me, Christine, that when I die, you will bury me with this ring." Christine nodded with a river of tears flowing out of her eyes.

"Yes, I will. Thank you so much Erik it is beautiful!"

"It used to be my mother's," Erik cringed at the thought of his mother. "Take care of it well." He turned to Christine now. "Go now and leave me!" Without wasting any more time, Raoul grabbed Christine's hand and fled out of the room while the Persian remained behind.

"Are you not coming with us? He told us to leave him alone."

"He was _only_ referring to both of you," the Persian replied harshly and he disappeared into another room where the sound of the organ playing can be heard. It was Erik's music room and unlike the previous room, it was more elegant looking. The walls were lined with a beautiful wallpaper that take the colours of a rich red and gold. The carpets were bought from Persia during the time Erik was living in Mazanderan and the cushions were covered with an expensive silk. Unfortunately, the whole place was a mess as Erik has always been such a disorganized person. However, it was the grand organ in the room that stand up from the mess. Erik's organ was actually small but it costs a fortune. It was made up of mahogany and the edges were carved into motives of skulls and ghosts, it resembled the Masked Frenchman so greatly. Erik played a melancholic tune on his organ.

"I thought you were happy to the point of indescribable when you received your unexpected gift," the Persian said to Erik.

"I _am_ happy!" He stopped playing when the Persian interrupted him.

"Then why are you playing a melody fit for a funeral?"

"This will be the requiem for me."

"You are leaving?"

"Very soon." The Persian fell silent for a few minutes. Sure Erik was a great annoyance to him and sometimes behaved like a little child that needed to be controlled but he was his _only friend_ in Paris since his exile. Apart from that, he was the only person who knew about him more than any other person, even Christine Daaë. The Persian would be very sad upon his departure from this world.

Erik continued with, "Why didn't you go with them?"

"If I go, I have will have nowhere, Erik. Besides, I am your _friend_ , your only _friend_. Be grateful that you have one!"

"How can I call a person my _friend_ if they keep obscuring my success?!" Erik fumed.

"I had to do it, Erik. Kidnapping a woman is wrong as well as forcing her to marry you. You know it to be true!"

"You were too foolish to help and follow the Vicomte, Daroga! You know very well that you will end up in one of my traps. Luckily, you had Madamoiselle Daaë to save you. You are an idiot to get yourself killed!" He snared.

"Oh, yes, Erik, I was an idiot indeed. I was foolish to save you from the clutches of the Shah who wanted you dead! Maybe I should be smart enough not to keep the Opera's most wanted ghost safe. I wish I was more intelligent to picking the right friend… the friend who would understand friendship and how I wish I could teach you about it." The Persian ended his sarcastic remarks there and continued with, "I knew it was dangerous for me to be your friend but, in truth, I was greatly sorry for you, Erik. I promised that if I were to become your friend, I need to protect you and others from you."

"You did not promise me anything, Daroga and I don't want that kind of promise you're holding on me!"

"No, but I promised _myself_ only. I hope you understand to take it as a reward from having a friend, _their self-promise_. Remember, Erik, it is easier to make promises but fulfilling them proves their worthiness and loyalty."

Erik smiled, but it was not his usual threatening or evil grin. It was the smile of warm sincerity and it made his frightening monstrous face look somehow…...friendly, comfortable and _human_. His sudden positivity also made the Persian smile.

"There, that should be better," complimented the Persian.

"Thank you, Daroga for everything and I apologise for my wrongdoings earlier." Erik was a stubborn man and he usually showed less remorse. Shortly after Christine's kiss, he turned a new leaf and became more optimistic and lively. Perhaps he wanted to show the hidden side of his character before he leaves this world.

"No problem, _my friend_. After all, it is my duty as one to tolerate such unhealthy mishaps, no matter how serious and annoying they can be. Oh, it looks like your former fiancée has come back." Erik turned around and saw Christine slowly entering the room.

"I must go and leave you two for the moment. Now, if you excuse me..."

"Farewell, _my friend_ ," Erik said to the Persian as he left the room as quickly as possible, not wanting to catch anymore of the drama. He had enough of today.

"Christine! You came back…." Erik's yellow eyes illuminated with joy.

"Yes, I did," she gasped. "I love you, Erik, I will always love y-you…" As Christine struggled to finish her words of undying love, she hugged Erik so tightly like a boa constrictor and held on like her life depended on him. Erik did the same thing to her and they were in a tight embrace as if they have all the time in the world. When Christine finished, Erik wiped away the tears from her eyes with his skeletally-thin fingers in which she did not flinch anymore.

"Christine…, I love you," Erik sang in his angelic voice sadly, the last lyrics of their song. Not long after, he disappeared into the shadows like a phantom. Both the Angel of Music and The Phantom of The Opera that she came to know will remain in her soul forevermore. Before Christine forced herself to leave, she took a last look at his organ, his enchanting instrument that will always remind her of how he played the Music of The Night that would lure her into a deep sleep...

"Madame! Madame! Madame Vicomtesse! Madame Christine!" Christine snapped back to reality as she heard her name being called. She found herself to be staring at a portrait of a man playing an organ, back at the de Chagny's mansion. Goodness Gracious! She thought. How long had she been daydreaming? "Madame Vicomtesse," a voice of an elderly woman called from behind the door that was right beside her. It belonged to Margot, their maidservant. "The Vicomte wishes to dine with you."

"Oh, of course, yes." Curse her, it was night already! "Tell Raoul that I will be coming down shortly, Margot."

"As you please, my Lady." Christine then heard the sound of footsteps walking from the door. She was standing at a closed corridor that leads to hers and Raoul's master bedroom and other rooms. Even at night, it was not really dark as the moonlight shone from the nearest window. The corridor was moderately spacious and but currently only a single portrait was hung just below a small table. Christine wondered why Raoul still kept it since it reminded of-

 _Oh, nevermind!_ She thought. Without wasting anymore time, Christine leapt off to her bedroom located on the far end of the corridor at the left and quickly entered the grand bathroom. After washing up, she headed for the big wardrobe where she selected a simple, yet astonishing dress from her wardrobe. It was a dark red colour that left her pale shoulders bare and had puffy short sleeves. Her dress was made from the finest silk in Paris and from the best tailors in France. Around her neck she donned a necklace with a golden pendant that was shaped like a swan and its eyes made from sapphire. At the back of the pendant were tiny words written, "To my dear Christine. Let our love never die, Raoul." She got it as birthday gift from him when she was twenty-one. Now she was the same age as Erik when he gave her his ring of promise that was now resting on her finger. She knew why she was bothered so much. It has been twenty years since she parted from her angel. She remembered the promise that she made for him before he died. The promise that will prove her undying love for him.

Now he will only remain as her beloved corpse.

Like him, the promise is now dead.

 **Author's note: In the next chapter, Christine eats dinner with Raoul but her mind is occupied by Erik's promise and thinks of a way to fulfil it. She does not want Raoul to discover her hidden motives but he became suspiscious of her. What will Christine's plan be and will it work? Most importantly, will she be able to hide it from Raoul and what happens if he finds out?**

 **Stay updated for the next chapter!**


End file.
